World Whisky Awards

WHISKY Magazine has announced the winners of its biannual World Whiskey Awards. To get the full scoop, go here.

I was one of the judges for the North American leg. We tasted 43 whiskeys from the USA and Canada. Everything was blind but we did know categories. Ostensibly, we used a 10 point scale, but in reality we used a scale from 6.0 to 9.75, allowing quarter points.

The categories were: bourbon no age, bourbon 7 years and under, bourbon 8 years and older, US non-bourbon no age, US non-bourbon 7 years and under, US non-bourbon 8 years and older, Canadian 12 years and under, Canadian 13 years and older.

The overall competition started with 158 whiskeys. They named winners in each category, then chose from the category winners six "best of show" selections, including "Best American Whiskey."

The results for North America:

BEST AMERICAN WHISKEY: Baker's 7 Year Old

BEST BOURBON: Baker's 7 Year Old

BEST BOURBON NO AGE: Four Roses Single Barrel

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit

BEST BOURBON 7 YEARS AND UNDER: Baker's 7 Year Old

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Bulleit Bourbon

BEST BOURBON 8 YEARS AND OVER: Russell's Reserve

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Jim Beam Black

BEST NON-BOURBON AMERICAN WHISKEY: Bernheim Wheat

BEST NON-BOURBON AMERICAN WHISKEY NO AGE: Bernheim Wheat

BEST NON-BOURBON AMERICAN WHISKEY 7 YEARS AND UNDER: Sazarec Rye 6 Years Old

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Templeton Rye

BEST NON-BOURBON AMERICAN WHISKEY 8 YEARS AND OVER: Sazerac Rye 18 Years Old

HIGHLY COMMENDED: George Dickel No. 12

BEST CANADIAN WHISKY: XR Crown Royal

BEST CANADIAN WHISKY 12 YEARS AND UNDER: Forty Creek Small Batch Reserve

Re: World Whisky Awards

There were 43 entries in the Canadian and American categories, so the competition was virtually everyone. This wasn't just new or recent releases. It was basically everything that's currently in general circulation.

With something like the Sazerac, it was whatever "edition" the company submitted but, depending on when they were submitted, it probably was the most recent release.

Re: World Whisky Awards

Originally Posted by wskybnt

Bakers is one of my top 5's. Glad to see it was consistantly rated tops. It doesn't get a lot of mentioning around hear, but I like it. ALOT

Baker's has always been a favorite of mine, and I have also been surprised that it doesn't seem to get more raves on SB.
As far as those results, I haven't had the opportunity to taste all the whiskeys mentioned, but I will say I am rather surprised at some of the bottlings I don't see, such as the ORVWs and Wellers, and some that I do see, such as Bulleit and JB Black. Guess it just goes to show it's all in the mouth & nose of the beholder! Tom V